The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to pause in our preparations for Christmas and rejoice in the reality of Christ with us on our journey in life.
Rejoice! I say Rejoice!
The reading from the Prophet Zephaniah is a Song of Joy in the Presence of God in Israel.
The title of the prophecy informs us that the ministry of Zephaniah took place during the reign of Josiah (640–609 B.C.), not long before the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. The protest against the worship of false gods and the condemnation of foreign practices (1:8–9) may indicate that Zephaniah spoke during the height of Assyrian influence in the early years of Josiah’s reign, before Josiah launched the religious reforms praised by Israel’s historians (2 Kgs 22:1–23:30). If so, the prophecy of Zephaniah would be contemporary with the early prophecy of Jeremiah, with which it shares both language and ideas.1
The response from Isaiah is one of Thanksgiving and Praise.
* [12:1–6] Israel’s thanksgiving to the Lord, expressed in language like that of the Psalms.2
The reading from the Letter of Paul to the Philippians offers Joy and Peace as we rejoice in the Lord always.
* [4:1–9] This series of ethical admonitions rests especially on the view of Christ and his coming (cf. Phil 4:5) in Phil 3:20–21. Paul’s instructions touch on unity within the congregation, joy, prayer, and the Christian outlook on life.3
The Gospel of Luke continues the preaching of John the Baptist as he proclaims the Good News to the people.
* [3:16] He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire: in contrast to John’s baptism with water, Jesus is said to baptize with the holy Spirit and with fire. From the point of view of the early Christian community, the Spirit and fire must have been understood in the light of the fire symbolism of the pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4); but as part of John’s preaching, the Spirit and fire should be related to their purifying and refining characteristics (Ez 36:25–27; Mal 3:2–3). See note on Mt 3:11.4
Sometimes Tom Lenz gets a little cynical this time of year. All the craziness of the lights, the extra items on the “to do” list, and the overemphasis on consumerism draws him in the opposite direction from feelings of peace and joy. It is easy to get caught up in the craziness and it's even easier to get a little grumpy, it seems. But, thinking about his experience as a 10 year old boy makes him think that the Christmas craziness is not all bad.
I remember stopping at a street corner not far from my house and just watched the snow fall. I was so quiet and I felt an overwhelming sense of peace. I wanted to stay on that street corner forever because everything in the world seemed right just as it was. Now, nearly four decades later, I think about that moment as my first memory and experience with Reality – the way Life is without all the clutter. The way God lives in and through me and with all that is. I think I wanted to stay on that street corner because I was overwhelmed by experiencing God all around me – Christ was everywhere! (even though I couldn’t articulate it at the time) Christ was in the snow, in the Christmas lights, and in the silence. Paul says in the Second Reading to the Philippians, “Rejoice!” “the Lord is near;” “have no anxiety at all,” and “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” This is what that 10 year old boy was experiencing in the early morning hours of Christmas Eve long ago. Wow! It is proof to me that God is always present and there is always reason to “Rejoice!”5
Don Schwager quotes “Jesus baptizes Christians with the Holy Spirit and fire,” by Cyril of Jerusalem, 430-543 A.D.
"John, filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb, was sanctified for the purpose of baptizing the Lord. John himself did not impart the Spirit but preached the glad tidings of him who does. He says, 'I indeed baptize you with water, for repentance. But he who is coming after me, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire' (Luke 3:16, Matthew 3:11). Why fire? Because the descent of the Holy Spirit was in fiery tongues [at Pentecost Acts 2:3]. Concerning this the Lord says with joy, 'I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish that it would be kindled!' (Luke 12:49)" (excerpt from CATECHETICAL LECTURES 17.8)6
The Word Among Us Meditation on Zephaniah 3:14-18 comments that the third Sunday of Advent is also called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for “rejoice.” Today, we light the rose-colored candle on the Advent wreath, the priest wears rose vestments, and the whole Church invites us to celebrate. Of course, we should celebrate; we’re more than halfway to Christmas! But in today’s first reading, the prophet Zephaniah tells us that God is rejoicing as well.
The Lord rejoices at being in our midst. He has not only become man and walked the earth among us, but he dwells in us through his Holy Spirit. This is personal—he exults to be near you today, to be part of your life. And you can rejoice because he rejoices. “Jesus, I rejoice with you as we approach the celebration of your birth!”7
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the rejoicing of Zephaniah because God is in the midst of the people of Israel. Paul ends the Letter to the Phillipians with a paraenesis and joy not anxiety even though he is writing from prison. Friar Jude comments on the grace and peace in people like Maximilian Kolbe even in times of mortal danger. Friar Jude reminds us that John the Baptist exhorts all people to choose the affiliation offered by God for fullness of life.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that one of the images of Mary that continues to inspire devotion throughout the Americas is Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose feast we usually celebrate on December 12. CAC friend and author Mirabai Starr writes about the transformation that Our Lady of Guadalupe brought to Mexico and the world.
In a world struggling against senseless violence and growing economic disparity, Our Lady of Guadalupe offers a distinctly feminine antidote to the poisons of poverty and war. Where society demands competition, Guadalupe teaches cooperation. In place of consumerism, she models compassionate service. She is not the whitewashed Virgin of the institutional Church. She is the radical, powerful, engaged Mother of the People. Our Lady is not merely a sociopolitical symbol, however. People of all faiths call her Mother. In times of deeply personal grief, they turn to her for comfort. They turn to her for insight. They turn to her for a reminder of what matters most, what endures when all else seems to be lost, what grace may yet be available when we meet fear with love.8
As we pause in peace and quiet to rejoice today, may we be strengthened by the Spirit to accept transformation in Christ.
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